Team needs: Cleveland Browns

Posted by Mike Florio on April 10, 2013, 3:23 PM EST

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The team-by-team draft needs continue with a franchise that is once again hitting the reset button, an exercise that happens far too frequently for the Cleveland Browns. This could be the last time the house gets cleaned out for a while, for better or worse. “Better” will be more likely if the team makes good use of its draft picks. Here’s where they need to focus if they hope to avoid getting worse.

Cornerback: As the NFL skews even more sharply toward the pass, teams need quality cornerbacks. The Browns currently have only one in Joe Haden, and the team has shown no inclination to bring back 14-game starter Sheldon Brown. Whether it’s Dee Milliner or Desmond Trufant with the sixth overall pick or others coming later, the Browns need to spend at least one pick on a cornerback.

Quarterback: With a new owner, new CEO, new G.M., and new coach, the Browns surely are interested in at least exploring the possibility of adding a new quarterback. Unless Geno Smith falls into their laps, the Browns would have to wait until round three at the earliest, given that their second-round pick was used last July on receiver Josh Gordon.

Receiver: Even with Gordon, a pair of failed second-round picks from 2009 (Mohamed Massaqoui and Brian Robiskie) have left the cupboard more bare than it should be. More depth and, perhaps more importantly, increased competition will help.

Linebacker: Outside linebacker is fine, but the inside linebacker position got weaker when the team recently cut Chris Gocong. So it would make sense to add at least one body at that area of the roster.

Safety: Usama Young is recently gone, too. Which means that the Browns need help at safety.

Tight end: Sure, there are five tight ends on the roster. But coach Rob Chudzinski has an affinity for the position. And none of the tight ends on the roster will be confused for Tony Gonzalez.

Kicker: The only kicker on the roster is Brandon Bogotay. Enough said.

Browns, Do yourselves a favor when looking for a QB and draft someone who can throw it at least 65yds……Quinn, Weeden, McCoy…etc all noodle arm QB’s. Defenses cut the field off and blitz like its nobody’s business when you have a noodle arm qb who is slow in his progressions. I would not take Smith because you don’t have the pieces around him to succeed right away and the city of Cleveland will do him like Detroit did Joey Harrington. Instead, build your defense through the draft and go after Josh Freeman, Vick, or Cutler next year.

“I can’t get over this franchise passing on Robert Griffin. The hilarious blunders from the factory of sadness is incredible. #Mistakebythelake”

The Browns didn’t “pass” on RG3.. he was gone before it was their turn to draft. If you mean they just didn’t throw their next three drafts at the RAMS for the chance to draft him, then that’s another argument. They just have too many holes to fill and need those picks. RG3 wouldn’t have done anything in Cleveland if he doesn’t have players around him.

And besides… I like RG3, but what happens if he’s just not the same after this injury.. and Washington mortgaged their future to get him??

It would make a lot of sense for the Browns to trade down if Milliner is not there anymore – they could still have lots of good options picking in Miami’s spot for instance. It would be kinda cool to see them pick a guy like Warmack, they could have the best O-line in the league with him there.

Logical voices you give redskins fans a bad name. Pump up RG3 all you want but you don’t have to denigrate other teams to do it. I’m a redskins fan myself and even I can admit until RG3 can play for 3 healthy years that trade cant even been judged yet.

I do get a kick out of all the idiots that populate the Internet tagging on RG3’s knee and making up silly names.

APknee won the MVP award last year idiots. Acl tears don’t end careers this isn’t 1950. They also have this thing called later eye surgery which can correct qb’s vision, I know wild huh?

pmars64 says:Apr 10, 2013 3:53 PM

Browns are a mystery this year. They played tough throughout last season despite Weeden’s problems and were probably the equal to Indy and Washington if not for the QB play. They have young talent at WR, RB, and an improving 0-line. Good depth at DL, but holes at LB and the secondary.

But, a new coach, new systems, a new front office with an ugly little troll as team prez and a failed GM in charge and it’s difficult to know how this team will respond.

Of all the off-season moves, signing Jason Campbell may be the best. While no hall-of-famer, he’s a reasonably competent QB who prepares well, who has the size and the arm for the vertical passing game that Turner likes. That’s more than anything the Browns have had in many years.

seaeagle707 says:Apr 10, 2013 3:57 PM

NEEDS:

A: An Offense

B: A Defense

bigbenh8tr says:Apr 10, 2013 3:58 PM

cmoney20 says:
Apr 10, 2013 3:51 PM
I’m starting to get frustrated with the people saying “Just keep hitting the QB”. Do you think they are just going to let you clobber the QB after he hands the ball off to the RB just because you’re pissed about defending the read option? Please stop saying this is a way to stop the read option. I’m pretty sure most defensive coordinators for the last decade go with the strategy of “Just keep hitting the QB”. Stop.
___________________________________
Rather than flat out claiming this isn’t a good tactic, tell us when you have seen this fail. I think the Eagles have struggled mightily since Vicks break-out season once teams started pounding him on drop-backs, scrambles, and hand-offs (and its clearly affected his confidence as well).

Yes some hits were late but he still hasn’t gotten many calls ever after the team complaining and it being obvious to the above-average fan, what teams are trying to do.

Same way Brady gets out of whack but he has the refs to bail him out at least.

The Browns have a decent squad I think. They just need better coaching, a gm willing to tell their owner to shut up and stop drafting mid round talent at QB in the first round, and some help at WR. If you put Peyton Manning on the Browns he could win 10 games with a #1 recieving threat.

The heart and soul of this team is Trent Richardson. Get the best O-lineman you can, take the pressure off Weeden, and POUND DA ROCK!

EJ says:Apr 10, 2013 4:18 PM

I think the new staff will be impressed with Brandon Weeden and what he’s able to accomplish this season. A Rookie no more, the jitters should be gone. Its time for Weeden to show his new GM that he is worth keeping around. Bold prediction: Weeden will get the Browns to the Playoffs(10-6) and will break a couple of team records while doing so.

Kerry Rhodes would be a great addition at Safety. He is a playmaker who was a pillar of Ray Horton’s defense in Arizona and who will be a major loss for a defense that was #5 last season and key to pulling off wins against the Patriots (in Foxboro), the Eagles, Miami, Seattle, and Lions. The Cards were foolish to let him go and fans would love to have him back. Karlos Dansby is another player that could give the Browns that extra kick to put them in the playoffs.

crumpledstiltskin says:Apr 10, 2013 4:28 PM

The team has two players over 30 on the entire roster. Solid O-line, solid def front. If they get real QB play or a real QB if Weeden doesn’t pan out, arrow way up.

With a great draft, the Browns could be in the hunt for the division. There is some talent there, you just don’t here about it because Da Brown’s haven’t been contending. If they do something like CB, OLB, WR, OG in the draft, they’ll have something good cooking up.

I dont get all the Weeden hate….he was a rookie with a bad team, bad coack and horrible management. Not that Im his biggest fan, but lets see what the kid has. I think he will show massive improvement with Turner there.
Also, I dont expect a whole lot from the Browns THIS year, but I believe they are on track….Im not a fan of Lombardi and do not at all understand that move, but I do have faith in Joe Banner as well as Jimmy.
…..okay shred me….

QB
WR
TE
G
CB
S
Kick returner- Benjamin there and hope he doesnt get hurt which depletes your receivers.
Kicker- Dawson is gone.
Stadium with a retractable dome.
New uniforms.
Fans who dont say SuperBowl after everyone win and scream the sky is falling after every loss.

1. Trade down from 6 to tackle-hungry team in teens, obtain 2nd rounder
2. Take best CB/FS/SS with 1st Round Pick
3. Take best CB/FS/SS with 2nd Round Pick
4. Draft BPA thereafter
5. Draft a young kicker in RD 4-6
6. Sign Kerry Rhodes to implement Horton’s system & teach new rookies
7. Sign Karlos Dansby for ILB help and to implement Horton’s system & teach 2nd yr LBs
8. Lock up Alex Mack long-term

That would about do it…

budmanjim says:Apr 10, 2013 4:58 PM

For those of you that choose to post negative comments, why bother?? What is your agenda??

ubepunkedagain says:Apr 10, 2013 5:09 PM

The whole season will be dictated by the QB play, whoever that will be. I don’t think they are sold on Weeden or that they want a 30 year old QB as the face of this new ownership/regime and coaching staff. Weeden has an arm but is not a very good downfield thrower and although they say he is better out of the shotgun, he was one of the worst in the league from it in 2012. He also is way below average on selling a play-action, which is a staple of Norv and Chud. They have some good, young players throughout the roster and now some proven coaches. I expect a trade down in the draft and a trade for Mallett. Mallett will compete with Campbell for the starter job this year and be handed the reigns next year and still be 26 years old.

cleveland is a solid team just doesnt have a qb to toss the ball.. idk im one of the guys that think greg little could be a star with a good qb had has plaxico height but faster and stronger. plus gordon and richardson..idk who the TE is i think they just signed the guy from chicago. a few plug ups and they might be set.. assuming weeden doesnt blow like last year…i personally never thought mccoy should of lost the job

I can’t get over this franchise passing on Robert Griffin. The hilarious blunders from the factory of sadness is incredible.

Dude you say this on every Browns article, Do you not realize the Browns offer was as good if not better because St. Louis would have gotten 2 1st rounders last year then This years first rounder. It is only because of a personal relationship between parties in Washington and St. Louis that he went to D.C.
So no THEY DID NOT PASS ON HIM !!!

Why is it they keep bringing up Geno Smith when all these “Draft Experts” said earlier that if Weeden were to come out in this draft he would be rated the best QB by far. The worst thing a team can do is spend the #6 pick overall on a guy with Geno’s marginal upside. Get the best player on your board, Regaurdless of position, the #6 has to be a long term starter from day 1 like Thomas/Mack/Haden .

The only things that have me concerned about how the Browns management are handling personnel is: 1. Why is Owen Marecic still on the roster? Butter fingers is so awful that he got replaced by a tight end at a full back position. 2.) Why is Buster Skrine still on the roster? He personally lost us 2 games last year by getting torched. 3.) How did we let Phil Dawson go? If we miss the playoffs by one game that we lost in 3-0 in a blizzard game, I’m going to convert to a Steelers fan, I swear to god.

We should not forget that Cleveland had a top ten defense for most of 2012.
Two external will be central indetermining the rise or fall of the Browns this year:
1. A draft that fills at least two holes (CB and WR) while helping the defense with depth.
2. Is there a more volatile division in the NFL than the AFC North? The Steelers and Ravens will be vulnerable and the Bengals can always be counted on to find a way to underwhwelm.

Too bad we can’t draft a new President and GM. I can’t help but wonder who will have more wins in 2013 Ubaldo Jimenez or the Browns! Then again, looks like both could go 1-15. Maybe Kosar and Rutigliano will come out of retirement.

toonloonboon says:Apr 10, 2013 10:39 PM

team needs: bags for fans’ heads

ravenmuscle says:Apr 10, 2013 11:36 PM

Wishful thinking about VULNERABLE…when Breeden has the ball and sees Ngata, Suggs (All Healthy), Dumervil, Canty, Spears, Art Jones, Pernell McPhee, Rolando McCain, and Michael Huff coming after Breeden…you’d better hope Breeden has some clean underwear on the bench. And that doesn’t even begin to include the TWELVE draft picks Ozzie has to rack up a gold mine of new talent. Trading up for Ozzie to land a top 15 talent will be a piece of cake.

4512dawg4512 says:Apr 10, 2013 11:41 PM

Corner, Safety, WR, MLB, Kicker…In that order, Weeden’s arm with the benefit of TR in the backfield= solid offense. Just stick with Weeden focus on the rest of the team!

jetswin01 says:Apr 10, 2013 11:44 PM

Buster Skrine is a DB playing on their special teams unit. Speed and grit is what this kid is made of. Play him opposite Hayden and you’ll be o.k.

4512dawg4512 says:Apr 10, 2013 11:48 PM

FYI- Weeden won two more games in his rookie year than Peyton Manning did in his. Kinda pays to put a little faith in your QB

dawgswillhunt says:Apr 11, 2013 12:21 AM

As a Browns fan, I’d rather have Russel Wilson than RG3. He proved himself to be the better player when he took his team to D.C. and whipped the ‘Skins in the playoffs. Griffin was the third best quarterback in last year’s draft.

The new regime is up to the same antics as every regime since the Browns return in 1999… Blowing the whole damn thing up and bringing in their “own guys” that really aren’t an improvement over the previous regimes “own guys”… ie over-the-hill Willie McGinest, over-the-hill Scott Fujita, over-the-hill Eric Barton, and over-the-hill Sheldon Brown… The only thing they have done in free agency is overload the already above-average d-line — they have neglected to successfully address any other position/weakness during free agency….. Rant: They will probably trade one or two of the successful young d-lineman from the previous regime and get far less for them than what they are worth… They cut Gocong (granted he was not great, but still) to create another glaring weakness on the team… The new regime had enough cap space to keep this team moving in the right direction and potentially be a surprise-team this year (there’s always a few), but instead they set us back AT LEAST another year with this conservative approach… Same old song in CLE… It’s not even September 2013 yet and I’m already saying “Next Year, 2014″… Hopefully Lombardi doesn’t suck as bad as WE (the vast majority of Browns fans) think he does, or else it will be 5 more years of sadness in Cleveland’s factory.